STAT signaling in inflammation.

Abstract

Since their discovery, STAT proteins have been intimately tied to controlling the development of hematopoietic cells that regulate inflammation, and mediating the responses of target cells to inflammatory cytokines. Although our understanding of STAT protein-dependent gene expression during inflammation has grown considerably over the past 15 years, the identification of new cell types that require STAT proteins for development, and new gene targets of STAT-dependent regulation, has added to the already complex network of cells and cytokines in immune-mediated diseases. The review articles in this special focus provide perspective on a number of areas of recent research and highlight some of the next important questions in understanding how STAT proteins contribute to inflammatory disease.